Volunteering has ‘positively impacted my personal life in many ways’

As we continue our celebration of Volunteers’ Week, today we interview Healthwatch North Tyneside volunteer Christine Sennett about her role.

What inspired you to volunteer with Healthwatch?

I moved to the area and retired a year ago and I was looking for a way to use some of my time to contribute to life in North Tyneside using my experience and skills, to enjoy a new activity and to meet people living in the area. I found the Healthwatch North Tyneside role on a volunteer website, and thought that it might be a good fit for me.

Can you describe your role and the activities you engage in as a volunteer?

I visit health and social care services to observe and to listen to service user’s views and experiences and I take notes and draft reports about the visits. I promote Healthwatch North Tyneside at community venues and different events, and request feedback on people’s experiences, for example of being a carer in North Tyneside. I contribute to Healthwatch North Tyneside planning and attend briefings and volunteer meetings.

How long have you been volunteering with Healthwatch, and what keeps you motivated to continue?

Four months. I enjoy the role, including the people I meet while carrying out research, and the staff, trustees and volunteers at Healthwatch North Tyneside. We always volunteer with another person, and this is helping me to learn how to carry out the role. I am able to be involved in many aspects of Healthwatch including my volunteer role, such as taking part in planning sessions. Healthwatch North Tyneside is a very inclusive organisation and there are lots of opportunities to be involved. Knowing that what Healthwatch does helps people in North Tyneside to have their voices heard is another motivation.

Can you share a particularly rewarding experience you’ve had while volunteering?

It has happened several times, but when I interview residents in care homes, they agree to give me their time for me to understand their experience living in a care home, and often, they thank me for my time and say that they have enjoyed talking with me. I didn’t expect it, but the conversations that we have seem to be an exchange, where we both benefit from it, and this is rewarding to me.

What skills have you developed or improved while volunteering?

I’ve been able to continue to use and develop and improve the skills that I gained in my professional life, such as interviewing service users and writing reports. We are also offered many opportunities for training, which helps us to carry out different aspects of the role.

How has volunteering with Healthwatch impacted your personal life or sense of community?

As I am new to the North Tyneside area, volunteering has helped me to get to know the area much more, and to meet a lot of people who I could not have otherwise met and so has definitely positively impacted my sense of community. It has positively impacted my personal life in many ways. For example, I recently carried out an engagement at a Food Club. This was a new experience for me and it was very interesting to see the operation and meet the members. I shared this with my partner and he is now very interested in being involved with the Food Club or similar organisations.

Have you formed any meaningful connections or friendships with other volunteers or staff members?

I have enjoyed meeting all the staff, volunteers and trustees at HWNT. I really enjoy discussions with the other team members and find their experience, values and intelligence very helpful and interesting. I have worked a lot with one volunteer on my first project and very much enjoy her company and appreciate her as a person and learn a lot from her experience.

• If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Healthwatch North Tyneside, please contact info@hwnt.co.uk and a member of our team will get back to you with more information and details about our next recruitment campaign.